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How women and men respond to divorce. Differences in mental health revised. Sara Symoens, Sarah Van...
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Transcript of How women and men respond to divorce. Differences in mental health revised. Sara Symoens, Sarah Van...
How women and men respond to divorce. How women and men respond to divorce.
Differences in mental health revised.Differences in mental health revised.
Sara Symoens, Sarah Van de Velde, Elien Colman, Piet Bracke
Ghent University, Belgium
Presentation for the 7th conference of the European Network for the sociological and demographic study of Divorce.
Antwerp, 25-26 June 2009
Purpose of our studyPurpose of our study
Focus on multiple outcomes of mental health◦Depression (-)◦Autonomy (+)◦Competence (+)◦Self-esteem (+)
Gender differences
Socio-economic and social-relational mediating factors
HypothesesHypotheses
Mental health divorced < married, and women < men
Socio-economic and social-relational conditions mental health (stress- & coping theories)◦Mental health of divorced is worse according to
worse conditionsMental health of divorced men <?> women
◦women suffer more! men suffer more!(differential exposure, differential vulnerability and differential expression)
◦both suffer, but other mediating factors are into play!?
Data and methodsData and methods
Data◦European Social Survey, 3th round (2006/2007)◦19 countries◦Selection respondents: (1) married, cohabiting,
divorced or separated, (2) aged between 25 and 60.
◦15.327 respondents (6.912 men, 8.415 women)Methods
◦2-level multilevel linear regression model using SPSS.15
◦4 models per dimension of mental health◦design and population weights
Descriptives sampleDescriptives sample
Not Divorced Divorced
Men Women
(N = 12.768) (N = 2.559) (N=6.912) (N = 8.415)Variable Mean (sd.)/% Mean (sd.)/% Sign. Mean (sd.)/% Mean (sd.)/% Sign .Social-relational factors Local integration (scale 1-5) 3,56 (0,92) 3,28 (1,00) *** 3,50 (0,92) 3,52 (0,95)Social activities with friends, family, colleagues (scale 1-7) 4,82 (1,54) 4,92 (1,60) ** 4,85 (1,52) 4,82 (1,57)Having an intimate friend 93,96 88,49 *** 91,39 93,05 **Living together with a partner 98,86 20,59 *** 88 84 ***Socio-economic factors
Having a job 75,14 74,96 84,98 66,58 ***
Hours worked weekly in main job, extra hours inclusive 40,65 (12,99) 40,32 (12,27) 44,37 (12,04) 37,49 (12,70) ***Work-life balance (scale 0-10) 5,96 (2,00) 5,87 (2,14) 5,89 (2,13) 5,99 (1,92) **Net household income 6,64 (2,46) 5,84 (2,43) *** 6,71 (2,47) 6,33 (2,46) ***Educational level (scale 0-6) 3,31 (1,39) 3,35 (1,35) 3,33 (1,35) 3,31 (1,41)
Depression Self-esteem Autonomy Competence
Divorced (married = ref.cat.) + - -Men (women = ref.cat.) - + + +
Results (1)Results (1)
Mental health of divorced < married, & women < men
Mental health of the married/ cohabiting and the divorced/ separated
Results (2)Results (2)
Marital status Mental healthSocial- relational factors
Socio- economic factors
Mental health differences between the divorced/separated and married/cohabiting,prior to- and after control for diverse mediating factors
Results (3)Results (3)
Divorce has a worse impact on the mental health of men
◦ … even when controlling for different socio-economic and social-relational factors
Mental health differences by marital state, men versus women
Results (4)Results (4)
Depression Self-esteem Autonomy Competence
Social-relational factors
Local integration - + + m>w +Social activities with friends, family, colleagues - w>m + + + w>m
Having an intimate friend (no friend = ref.cat) - m>w + + m +
Living with a partner (no partner = ref.cat) - +/ - m/w
Socio-economic factors
Having a job (no job = ref.cat.) - m + m>w + m>w+ mHours worked weekly in main job, extra hours inclusive - + w>m + +
Work-life balance - m>w + w>m + +
Net household income, all sources - w>m + + w>m +
Highest educational level - w>m + w>m + +
Conclusion Conclusion
Both socio-economic and social-relational factors
Gender- differences between both categories?◦Men: social-relational factors◦Women: socio-economic factors
But more pronounced within both categories!◦e.g. living together with a partner!
Relation between divorce and mental health = multifaceted◦diverse mediators◦diverse indicators of mental health
DiscussionDiscussion
Limitations◦Positive dimensions by single- or two items◦Significant missing value substitution
Positive◦ESS3 = international, high quality randomized
sample of individuals of over 19 countries◦Multidimensionality of mental health!